TU-Delft Professor Han Meyer Gives Keynote Speech at NCKU
May 28 2015 - 11:28PM
Business Wire
Han Meyer, a professor of urban design from Delft University of
Technology (TU-Delft), the Netherlands, was invited to the 8th
International Conference on Planning and Design (ICPD) and gave a
keynote speech on Urbanism and Urbanization at National Cheng Kung
University (NCKU), Tainan, Taiwan, on May 27.
In his talk, Meyer focused on the changing role and content of
urban design and urban planning in the 21st century. “Due to
changes in climate, technology, economy and political ideology,
this role and content is shifting the popular belief in the
robustness and resistance of policies and systems to a more complex
and uncertain perspective,” he said.
To start his talk, he changed his speech title to “Back to the
Basics” and posited that, nowadays, we should emphasizes more on
the last two elements, namely, the urban ground plan and the
preservation of the ground.
Then he highlighted two dynamics of different layers and
introduced two new approaches in the Netherlands, namely, resilient
and adaptive flood defense system as well as room for the river. So
that the organic approach should let go the layer approach and
emphasize on reducing chances of flooding, and reducing the
consequences.
Meyer said he had given some thought about the differences and
similarities between Taiwan and the Netherlands.
He saw some similarity in the size of the countries and the size
of the economy, but other than that there were no resemblances at
first glance. He then asked himself the hypothetical question: In
terms of urbanization do we have something in common?
He said, “I certainly think we have. The Netherlands is formed
by the delta of European rivers that flow from the hinterland. The
Netherlands therefore has a long history in water management and
this condition has to be taken into consideration in urban
planning.”
“At first, I didn't think this condition would apply to Taiwan,
but through one of my PhD students from Taiwan, I found out that
the west coast of Taiwan faces similar issues in urbanism, for
example, the river flooding in the southern parts of Taiwan,” he
added.
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